Great albums are dropping like leaves this autumn

Yes, P!NK has been combining kiss-off anthems with double entendres since day one, but instead of recycling the same thing over and over, it seems more like she has been working her whole careertoward this. Tempering her usual aggression are fun collaborations (Eminem, Lily Allen) and songs that actually sound happy. Well, as happy as P!NK can be, singing lines like “I hate you so
much, it must be love.”

Nov. 13

Big Boi, “Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors”
Did Big Boi and Aerosmith switch the album titles they were supposed to use? Big Boi is indeed tapping into another dimension with his second album outside of the Outkast moniker. For “Lies,” the rapper has enlisted the assistance of indie bands such as Phantogram and Little Dragon.

50 Cent, “Street King Immortal”
Remember when Kanye and 50 released an album on the same day and each of them said that he would retire if his album didn’t perform as well as the other’s? “Curtis” didn’t do as well as “Graduation,” but 50 did not retire. On his fifth album, he has brought in enough guest stars that it seems like he’s trying to compete with “Cruel Summer” for sheer group effort. So far “Immortal” will feature Alicia Keys, Lil’ Kim, Akon, Swizz Beatz, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, Chris Brown and Adam Levine.

Nov. 27

Alicia Keys, ‘Girl on Fire’
Hopefully you didn’t get too distracted by gold medalist Gabby Douglas tumbling all over the stage during Alicia Keys’ VMAs performance last week, because behind the piano, Keys was really lighting it up. It’s the singer’s time to shine again. Because no one, no one, no one can get in the way of what she’s feeling.